


Only An Ocean Away

by MaxMattel666



Series: Podium Family Fluff [25]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Affection, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Character's Name Spelled as Viktor, Domestic Fluff, Established Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Familial Affection, Family Feels, Fluff, Found Family, Homesickness, Katsuki Yuuri and Victor Nikiforov are Yuri Plisetsky's Parents, M/M, Married Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Not Beta Read, Papa Victor, Parents Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Podium Family, Protective Katsuki Yuuri, Protective Victor Nikiforov, Pup Yuri, Scenting, Separation Anxiety, Tall Yuri Plisetsky, Yuri's stuffed tiger is very important, family au, mama yuuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:47:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26863141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaxMattel666/pseuds/MaxMattel666
Summary: It’s the first time since Yuri’s senior debut that he and Yuuri have been assigned to different Grand Prix qualifier events and he gets a little homesick.
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov
Series: Podium Family Fluff [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1662529
Comments: 10
Kudos: 342





	Only An Ocean Away

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 150K views!!!! I couldn’t be more grateful to all of you who have stuck around and who keep up with my work. I know that the majority of my views come from this series and it is something that I derive a lot of happiness from and it just makes my heart so full to know that there are people out there who feel the same way about the podium family that I do. So to all of my readers, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. 
> 
> I would like to apologize for my inconsistent posting, transitioning back to university has been difficult for me and I’m trying to manage getting back into the swing of things so please be patient and I will try my best. I really hope y’all enjoy this new instalment of the series and as always please feel free to leave suggestions! If you enjoy the fic please consider leaving a kudos and a comment, they mean a lot to me! 
> 
> I hope you all are doing well and staying healthy and safe. Also check out the links on my profile for resources and information about the BLM movement.

It is Yuri’s first time since beginning to skate under the surname Katsuki-Nikiforov that he and Yuuri are not attending the same qualifier events for the Grand Prix. Usually they are both assigned the same events and travel together, chasing one another up the podium. Not only that but it made it easier on Viktor who was coaching them both, Yuuri full time and Yuri part time with Yakov who was considering retiring in the next few years. But this season’s Grand Prix brought a dilemma. Yuri’s first qualifying event was Skate Canada, and Yuuri’s wasn’t. Yuuri was set to skate his first qualifying event at the NHK trophy. The two were supposed to meet each other again at the Rostelecom Cup but it would be the first time since Yuri’s senior debut that the dam and pup wouldn’t be skating against one another at each level of the Grand Prix.

Yuuri fusses over packing his son’s bag for him. Yuri is more than capable of packing for himself, but there is also a sense of comfort that comes from having his dam pack for him. Yuri watches from his bed where he is curled up with Potya as he watches the older omega fold his clothes carefully. Yuri hadn’t needed to tell Yuuri which items to grab because Yuuri was able to pick them out without having to be told. He already knew which clothes Yuri favoured, mostly by which items turned up the most in the laundry. But he also knew that his pup favoured thick leggings and dry fit shirts for practice, and then ripped jeans and comfortable sweatshirts for off the ice.

Yuuri packs his pup far too many pairs of socks and slips in a little pack of bandaids. But he isn’t done there. He stands up and gives Yuri a quick kiss on the head before heading into the master bedroom with the promise of being back in just a moment. Yuuri can feel his maternal instincts getting a little frantic at the thought of being separated from his pup. Rationally he knows that Yuri is old enough to take care of himself just fine, plus, he is going to be traveling with Yakov. Yuuri knows that everything will be fine, but he can’t help the urge to go into protective omegan dam mode at the thought of being separated from his son. So on top of the things that Yuuri had already packed, he adds a few extra things. The omega tucks in a plush sweater of his and one of Viktor’s t-shirts. He also sneaks in a pillow case from their bed that smelled of Yuuri’s nest. He hopes that the few items would help Yuri feel a little less alone during their time apart.

Yuri feels stupid for getting sniffly at the airport when his parents accompany him and Yakov to drop them off. He is seventeen now and has been part of the Katsuki-Nikiforov family for nearly two years so the teen tells himself that he shouldn’t feel so upset because it's only for a few days. But that doesn’t stop his chest from aching when Yakov tells him that it’s time to say their goodbyes.

Yuuri pulls him into a hug first. He cradles the back of Yuri’s head in one hand and squeezes his shoulders with the other. Yuri is far taller than his dam now and Yuuri had to stand up on his tiptoes just a bit, but the awkwardness of their position isn’t on the forefront of either omega’s minds as they scent one another gently and discreetly. Yuri bends down and nuzzles his face into the warm side of his dam’s neck and Yuuri runs his inner wrist across the crown of Yuri’s head over his familial marker.

“Be good, okay, Yu-chan?” Yuuri reminds the teen. His voice is soft and sweet but Yuri notices the slight anxious lilt in the older skater’s tone.

“Mhmm, I’m gonna kick ass,” Yuri replies. His words may have been fighting ones and they are familiar in his mouth, but he says them with a gentle smile instead of the fierce snarl he would normally hold. This side of himself is something only his family is privy to.

“I know you’ll bring home the gold,” Viktor adds, coming up to give his pup a goodbye squeeze as well. The alpha presses a kiss against his mate’s temple and then scoops Yuri into a bear hug, squeezing the teen tightly. Viktor too takes the opportunity to gently flick his wrist over the top of Yuri’s head, rescenting him. Yuri has presented now and his own scent has filled out and matured. Yuri smells like earl grey tea and ivory soap, but not many people know that because more often than not, the blonde is drenched in his parent’s scents. Yuri prefers it that way anyways, it settles him.

“You bet I will,” Yuri grins at his sire. It almost sounds like a challenge but it’s all in good fun as the father and son pair trade matching smiles. Yuuri looks at his mate and their son fondly, their family really was a competitive one.

“We’re so proud of you,” Viktor says, moving to rest his forehead against Yuri’s in a comforting gesture of familial affection. Their eyes meet and Yuri nods, it’s a promise to do his best and make Viktor proud, make both his parents proud. That always comes before impressing anyone else, including the whole of Russia.

“Come on, Yuratchka,” Yakov calls. “We should get going, our plane leaves soon.”

The old man is quite blunt in his words but he is a little warmed by the sight before him. He has seen all three skaters transform dramatically in the last few years, but Viktor the most. Fatherhood suited the alpha perfect and Yakov had watched him go from a troubled and overworked teen to a tired and depressed adult, only to find a family after he had given up on the concept as a whole. Yuri had changed too, although change is always expected of teenagers. But the blonde had grown from a waifish ball of raw energy and determination to a more thoughtful and driven young adult. Both Russians had grown softer, but only in the good ways. They still upheld their intense competitive spirits, but both smiled and laughed more often. Yuri learned quicker and faster and was more eager to listen than before. He had the support he finally needed. And so it too pains Yakov to say goodbye to Viktor and Yuuri, but he knows they have a plane to catch and he is a man of practicality.

Without a fuss, Yuuri shrugs off his black team Japan jacket and moves to drape it around his son’s shoulders. “Do your best, baby,” he encourages as he zips the jacket up for Yuri.

Yuri isn’t skating for Japan, he has dual citizenship and he still skates for Russia and wants to continue to do so, but this way, Yuuri thinks, Yuri can take a little bit of Japan with him. He gives the teen his black jacket because he knows Yuri doesn’t favor bright blue like Yuuri does, but it’s also a little more lowkey. Yuri can wear it in the rink and probably not cause too much of a stir. Yuri’s mouth falls open slightly as his dam puts him in his team Japan jacket. Yuri’s shoulders tingle under the fabric as he nods and pulls his dam back into a hug. It doesn’t matter what country he’s skating for, he’s skating for himself and Yuuri and Viktor. Yuri squeezes his dam’s shoulders tightly and takes a few deep breaths, trying to inhale as much of Yuuri’s comforting scent as possible. Viktor rubs Yuri’s back as he lets out a soft rumble to comfort the two omegas and holds back making a dad joke about Yuri resembling his mother in his team Japan jacket.

“Be good for Yakov, okay?” Viktor instructs when Yuri finally pulls back. Yuri rolls his eyes a little bit but both Viktor and Yuuri know that the teen can handle himself. Plus he is far more docile and cooperative than he had been at fifteen.

Yuuri and Viktor squeeze their hands together as they watch their pup walk off with Yakov. Yuuri has to hold himself back from letting out a loud trill in an attempt to call his baby back to him. Viktor runs his thumb over his mate’s knuckles in an attempt to soothe him, but he too feels an ache in his chest as their son disappears into the crowd. Viktor thinks briefly about when he first went to Japan and he hadn’t even really considered what it would mean to leave Yuri. Now the alpha cannot fathom ever doing that again, he never wants to be separated from his Yuris ever again, either one of them. Both Yuuri and Viktor can sense the others’ distress and lace their fingers even tighter together. Viktor pulls Yuuri close against his chest and Yuuri pressed his face against his husband’s neck, breathing in Viktor’s familiar and comforting scent.

“We’ll see him again in a few days,” Viktor reassures but his voice wobbles a little. He wants to be the strong and sturdy alpha that his omega needs to lean on but he too feels the loss of their pup in the pit of his stomach. They both just want Yuri to be okay, he’s precious to them.

-

Yakov doesn’t have to remind Yuri to call his parents when they land in Canada. As soon as the plane touches down, Yuri is already pulling out his phone. Him and Yakov have another flight to catch to Halifax but they have about an hour layover and the flight was long. Yuri had tried to sleep but he had felt a little too embarrassed to pull his stuffed tiger out on the plane, and he didn’t want to lose his stuffed animal or accidentally get it dirty. So instead Yuri had spent the majority of the flight with his headphones in listening to music. At least when they got into Halifax it would be around supper time so he wouldn’t have to wait too long to go to bed once they checked into their hotel.

As they disembark from the plane, Yuri scrolls through the messages on his phone. He’s received about half a dozen from his parents in their family group chat asking how his flight was and if he had eaten or gotten any sleep. Viktor had also sent a picture of Potya and Makkachin curled up together on Yuri’s bed at home. Viktor had sent it along with the caption _“I think they miss you as much as we do!”_

As he and Yakov wait in line at immigration, Yuri presses the call button and hopes that his parents pick up. The phone only rings twice because Yuuri and Viktor’s familiar voices crackle though the phone.

“Yura!” The couple beams in unison.

“Hey Mama, Papa,” Yuri says, his voice coming out much softer than it usually does. He’s only been away from them for about half a day of travel but he already misses them. The last time he had been separated from them was during Yuuri’s heat right before they became a family and adopted Yuri. But since then the little family hadn’t spent much if any time apart.

“How was your flight?” Viktor asks.

“Mmm, it was alright. We have a little bit of a layover and then a connecting flight,” Yuri explains.

“Able to get any sleep?” Yuuri pipes in.

“A little,” the blonde says. He hadn’t really slept but he doesn’t want his dam to worry more than he knows Yuuri already is.

“Ah, that’s good. Makes me feel better,” Yuuri sighs with relief.

Yuri is about to respond when Yakov beckons him forward, it’s their turn to go through passport control. “I’ve gotta go, we’re at immigration,” Yuri grumbles. He had only just gotten on the phone and he didn’t want to hang up yet but he knew he had to put his phone away.

“It’s okay pup,” Viktor assures him. “Travel safe!”

“Let us know when you get to your hotel! You can text or call us. It’ll be late here but I’ll try to stay up,” the Japanese skaters offers.

“No Mama, it’s okay. I’ll just send you a text you don’t have to stay up for me. You have to fly in the morning anyways.”

“Mmm,” Yuuri hums. Despite his son’s assurance that he would be fine, Yuuri still plans to stay up anyways. He knows that Yakov is perfectly capable of taking care of Yuri, he is the closest thing Viktor has to a father anyways, but that doesn’t stop Yuuri’s inner omega from worrying at least a little bit over his only child.

“I have to go,” Yuri huffs. “I’ll talk to you guys later, okay?”

“We love you, Yura!” Viktor sing-songs through the phone. He’s putting on a brave face but he too already misses his son so much.

“Yes, we love you!” Yuuri echoes back.

“I love you too,” the blonde replies, his voice soft. He doesn’t want to hang up but then he and Yakov are called and Yuri is forced to end the call. He wants to compete and he wants to skate, but there’s also a part of him that just wants to go home.

-

Yuri collapses onto the large bed once he finally gets to his hotel room. He sends a quick text to the family group chat letting his parents know that he had made it to his hotel safely and checked in. He is exhausted and tosses his phone on the nightstand then lets himself flop onto the mattress but instantly something feels off. The room smells too clean, bare of any familiar scent. Yuri rolls over onto his side and pulls his knees close to his chest, assuming the position that he usually sleeps in even though he hasn’t gotten under the covers yet. Yakov is in the room next door and they have plans to meet back up in an hour to get food after they both have some time to shower and settle in. Yuri feels a little strange about the whole situation. It is exactly like how things had been when he was a junior and competing, how things had been before Yuuri and Viktor. Yuri tells himself that he shouldn’t feel lonely and that all of his fellow competitors are probably in their hotel rooms alone, but that doesn’t really work to comfort him.

Yuri pulls the collar of his dam’s track jacket up around his neck and buries his nose into the fabric. It carries the sharp scent of ice but it still smells like Yuuri regardless. Yuri inhales the scent of matcha and jasmine and lets his mind wander to thoughts of his bed at home and of Yuuri’s nest and how at the last dozen competitions he had competed in, he was always welcomed at the kiss and cry with warm arms and hair ruffles and cheek kisses. He won’t have that this time around. He’ll get a congratulatory pat on the back from Yakov and maybe a few words of praise, but Yuri was convinced that nobody was more affectionate than the sickly sweet couple he had for parents.

He rolls out of bed and immediately heads for his suitcase which he proceeds to open with haste. Yuri grabs his stuffed tiger and the few personal items that Yuuri had slipped in along with Yuri’s costumes and practice gear. Yuri bundles it all into his arms and carries them over to the bed. He strips one of the pillows of its case and replaces it with the one that Yuuri had taken from his nest. Yuri squeezes the pillow tight in his arms and breathes in the sugary sweet scent of Yuuri’s nest. He then lays pulls Viktor’s on, swapping his out for the much larger shirt. Yuri is taller than his sire now, but Viktor is still much broader than Yuri. He tucks Yuuri’s cashmere sweater under his head and situates the pillow against his back before pulling the covers up over himself. He snuggles his face against his stuffed tiger’s tummy like he would Yuuri’s and imagines that the pillow at his back is Viktor. Only then does Yuri manage to fall asleep.

Skate Canada goes well, despite Yuri’s nerves. He is in a new place he has never been and even though he is used to traveling, he still tends to rely on the adults in his life to bring him around. But the city isn’t too large and for the most part everyone at the hotel and the rink is speaking English which Yuri is grateful for as his English is pretty good. He thinks back to a previous experience at the cup of China when he had gotten totally lost. That definitely hadn’t been fun. But while it’s easy for him to get around the rink and ask for directions, he still doesn’t feel the readiness that he typically feels before competing. He doesn’t usually get nervous at all before competitions but now he is. His usual routine of getting ready with Viktor and Yuuri has obviously been disrupted and while he knows how to do his own hair, Yuuri always does it better. He doesn’t hear his sire’s encouraging words, driving him to push his hardest on the ice. And he isn’t sent off the barrier with a flurry of hugs and kisses like he usually is. Instead Yakov sends him off in Yuuri’s warm up jacket with a pat on the back and a nod. They both know what Yuri is more than capable of pulling off.

When Yuri receives his scores he is neither excited nor dissatisfied. He scores about right in the middle of the range that Viktor had predicted he would manage. He misses first place by only two points and he would be more upset at his placement if it hadn’t been Otabek that he falls just behind. The two spend the banquet together, talking and catching up as friends do and Yuri enjoys Otabek’s company until it’s time to say goodnight, and then Yuri is reminded that he’ll be alone in his room again. But it’s not long after he texts the family group chat that he receives an incoming FaceTime call.

“Congratulations, Yura!” Yuuri and Viktor both yell through the phone. Their faces boast matching smiles. The two had been waiting for Yuri to be free to call, they knew he would probably want to spend some time with Otabek and while it was hard for them to sit on their hands and wait, they knew it would be worth it.

“It’s only silver,” Yuri mumbles, resting his chin against his knees as he tucks them against his chest.

“You skated wonderfully, baby,” Yuuri soothes, reaching out to touch the phone gently as if he could reach through the phone and stroke his son’s cheek. “Did you have a nice time at the banquet with Otabek?”

“Yeah, it was nice,” Yuri responds, his cheeks flushing a little bit at the mention of his friend's name.

“We’re very proud of you,” Viktor nods, redirecting the conversation a bit. His voice sounds a little bit more like his coach voice than his Papa voice but Yuri knows that is probably what he should hear right now. “We’ll work on your flip a little more before Rostelecom, okay?”

Yuri nods, looking up at his parents through the phone screen. “Y-yeah,” his voice cracks against his will. Suddenly what he has been feeling for the last few days all bubbles over and he is hit with an intense wave of homesickness.

“Yu-chan? Are you alright?” Yuuri asks in a worried tone, exchanging a concerned look with his mate. “I know you didn’t win gold but you did so well and you had really tough competition this year,” Yuuri tries to comfort. His chest aches as he hears his pup sniffling and the omega wants nothing more than to take Yuri into his arms and kiss his face and assure him that he did a wonderful job regardless of where he stood on the podium.

“Vitya you shouldn’t be so harsh on him,” the Japanese skater scolds his husband quietly.

“N-no, it’s not that,” Yuri speaks up before Viktor has a chance to say anything back. “He’s right, I need to work on my flip. I wobbled pretty bad on my landing. I just... “ Yuri takes a deep breath in, “I wanna come home.”

“Oh Yura,” Viktor sighs as his eyebrows knit themselves together. “You’ll be home soon. Your dam and I are going to come pick you and Yakov up from the airport, alright? And we can have katsudon for supper or whatever you want.”

Yuri wipes his nose with the sleeve of his hoodie and nods. He feels so embarrassed for getting teary eyed but Yuuri and Viktor have seen the blonde cry so many times that they are well practiced in how to handle an upset Yuri. “Y-yeah, that sounds good,” the teen sniffles.

“We’ll be back together again soon, tigrenok. Don’t cry,” Viktor says calmly.

“Mhmm, so soon,” Yuuri echoes.

Yuri nods and grabs his stuffed tiger. He pulls the little thing against his chest and tucks his chin down against it and takes a deep breath. Thankfully it still smells like his Mama and Papa. “Okay,” Yuri says, his chin wobbling just a bit.

It’s hard now but he’ll be home in less than a day and he knows that his parents are bound to smother him the second they get him home. And that is exactly what happens. Yuri practically runs and jumps into his parents arms when he sees them waiting for him and Yakov at the airport and he hasn’t felt such relief in a long time. Yuuri and Viktor hold their pup close, squeezing him tight and kissing his cheeks and telling Yuri how proud they are of him without mentioning that he took silver rather than gold. Yuri lets himself lean into them as Viktor rubs circles across his back and Yuuri strokes his hair. Usually he would shove them off and roll his eyes with a claim of them being too embarrassing, but he can’t bring himself to even think of pulling away. He knows that one day he’ll have to get used to traveling on his own but he doesn’t have to worry about that for a long while. And Yuri knows that no matter how old he gets or how far he goes, Yuuri and Viktor will always be there to welcome him home.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I know that the like, 2017 Skate Canada was held in Regina, but we’re gonna pretend it was in Halifax because I live in the Maritimes so anyways let me live lol it’s called projecting 😂😂


End file.
